Coming-of-Age Journeys

Coming-of-age journeys, academically known as Bildungsromane, focus on the stories of young people embarking on the path to adulthood. These are stories of self-actualization, questions of identity, discoveries of shortcomings and strengths, and lessons learned. This collection of study guides covers classics to contemporary novels, from J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger to As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds.

Twisted

by Emily McIntire

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Hate & Anger, Love, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Family, Self Discovery, Beauty, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger

Tags Romance, New Adult, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Horror & Suspense, Fantasy

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Two Degrees

by Alan Gratz

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Environment, Apathy, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Grief, Indigenous Identity, Justice, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Fathers, Friendship, Teamwork, Mothers, Animals, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Plants, Place, Politics & Government, Community

Tags Action & Adventure, Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Children`s Literature, Natural Disaster, Climate Change, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

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Two Gentlemen of Verona

by William Shakespeare

Publication year 1594

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Love, Coming of Age, Social Class, Friendship

Tags Comedy & Satire, Classic Fiction, British Literature, Humor, Dramatic Literature, Romance

Two Gentlemen of Verona is a romantic comedy generally assumed to be the first play written by William Shakespeare. It was likely written between 1587 and 1593, though the exact date of composition is unknown. The play describes the fallout that ensues when two young men (one of whom is engaged) fall in love with the same woman. Important themes in the play include The Restrictions of Courtly Love for Women, The Fickle Nature of... Read Two Gentlemen of Verona Summary

Under The Feet Of Jesus

by Helena Maria Viramontes

Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age

Tags Education, Education, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Under the Feet of Jesus is a 1995 novel by Helena Maria Viramontes. It tells the story of a family of Mexican-American migrant workers—also known as piscadores—who make their living harvesting crops in California. As the novel opens, the main character, a 13-year-old girl named Estrella, has just arrived at a new home alongside her mother, Petra, her mother’s boyfriend, Perfecto, and her four younger siblings. The children’s father abandoned the family several years ago... Read Under The Feet Of Jesus Summary

Under The Mesquite

by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Immigration, Coming of Age, Family

Tags Dramatic Literature, Immigration & Refugeeism, Poverty, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Arts & Culture

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall is a coming-of-age story about the importance of family, heritage, and perseverance. This young adult novel comes directly from McCall’s own experiences as a young Mexican immigrant, a writer with a dream, and a teenager who watches her mother die from cancer. Under the Mesquite infuses poetic form, free verse, imagery, and sprinkles of the Spanish language in order to portray a bildungsroman in which a young girl... Read Under The Mesquite Summary

Under the Never Sky

by Veronica Rossi

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Fear, Guilt, Love, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Community, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure, Religion & Spirituality

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Unfriended

by Rachel Vail

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Conflict, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Disability, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Technology

Rachel Vail is the author of the middle grade novel Unfriended (2014). Vail has published several books for young readers and children, including Wonder (1991) and The Friendship Ring series (2014). As with Unfriended, her stories focus on young people confronting the fraught dynamics of friendships and school. In Unfriended, 13-year-old Truly leaves her best friend for the popular crowd and is beset by conflicts online and in the physical world. The story of Truly... Read Unfriended Summary

Unstoppable

by Tim Green

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Disability, Coming of Age, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery

Tags Sports, Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Trauma & Abuse

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Until Friday Night

by Abbi Glines

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Trauma & Abuse, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction

Abbi Glines’s Until Friday Night is a young adult romance novel that follows the relationship between the two protagonists, Maggie Carlton and West Ashby. Maggie’s and West’s alternating first-person narratives reveal their complex feelings for each other and their struggles to navigate falling in love. Their evolving dynamic is the basis for the novel’s themes of Coping with Grief and Trauma, The Development of Teenage Romantic Relationships, and The Role of Communication in Healing. This... Read Until Friday Night Summary

UnWholly

by Neal Shusterman

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Coming of Age, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction, Politics & Government, Psychology, Technology, Religion & Spirituality, American Literature, Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Romance

UnWholly (2012) by Neal Shusterman is Book 2 in the Unwind Dystology. Shusterman originally planned the series to be a dystopia trilogy, but the third book, UnSouled, was split into two for publication due to length. While it was nominated for several awards in Young Adult literature, it did not win any, in contrast to the first book of the series, Unwind, which won nearly a dozen awards and prizes.UnWholly is science fiction, specifically YA... Read UnWholly Summary

Valentine

by Elizabeth Wetmore

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Community, Safety & Danger, Coming of Age, Forgiveness, Revenge, Love, Mothers, Family, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Fear, Justice, Equality, Good & Evil, Marriage, Truth & Lies, Perseverance, Conflict, Loneliness, Hope, Gratitude

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Coming of Age, Relationships, Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Love & Sexuality, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

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Vampire Academy

by Richelle Mead

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Social Class, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror & Suspense, Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

Written in 2007 by Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy is the first of six novels in the Vampire Academy series, which follows the coming-of-age journey of Rosemarie “Rose” Hathaway, a dhampir (half vampire) who is training to become a guardian for her best friend, Vasilisa “Lissa” Dragomir. Lissa is a royal Moroi (or full vampire) with mysterious powers. The novel addresses themes of friendship, forbidden romance, and personal responsibility within a school setting. In 2014, Vampire... Read Vampire Academy Summary

Vicious

by L. J. Shen

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Love, Revenge, Coming of Age, Family, Self Discovery, Social Class, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, New Adult

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